Chapter 5 - The Houses Behind the FortuneCole Development was not built on eighty questionable acquisitions.
It was four hundred and twelve.
For three decades, shell companies bought properties from elderly owners, indebted families and people under questionable guardianships.
Some sales were legitimate.
Many were not.
Eleanor had collected evidence.
She hid copies beneath the greenhouse at Cole House before being forced away.
Simon had searched for them for years.
Nathan flew back immediately.
Lily came with him.
Not because she trusted Nathan.
Because Eleanor asked her to.
When Lily first saw Cole House, she stopped at the gate.
—This is ridiculous.
Nathan almost laughed.
—What?
—You need forty-two rooms?
—I use about six.
—Then yes. Ridiculous.
Rosa met Lily at the entrance.
One look at her face and Rosa began crying.
—You look like your mother.
Lily stiffened.
She was tired of being compared to people she barely knew.
Rosa understood.
—Sorry.
Lily softened.
—It’s okay.
The greenhouse stood east of the mansion.
Nathan remembered playing there as a child.
Beneath an old stone bench they found an iron ring.
Marcus pulled.
A hidden door opened.
Stairs descended.
The underground archive was dry.
Shelves.
Boxes.
Ledger books.
Photographs.
Recorded interviews.
Eleanor had documented everything.
Nathan opened one box.
A family named Jenkins.
Their grandmother was declared mentally incompetent after refusing to sell.
A court-appointed guardian approved the transaction.
The property later became a luxury apartment tower.
Another:
Thomas Bell.
Disabled veteran.
Foreclosure pressure.
Another:
Maria Cortez.
Widow.
Documents signed in English despite records showing she spoke only Spanish.
Nathan felt physically ill.
His wealth suddenly looked different.
Not numbers.
Homes.
People.
Lily watched him.
—You really didn’t know?
—No.
—But you benefited.
Nathan looked at her.
—Yes.
She seemed surprised he admitted it.
Marcus found something else.
Recent footprints.
Someone had entered within days.
A box was missing.
They checked the security footage.
Deleted.
Then Nathan remembered Vanessa.
Police had released her pending investigation because there was insufficient evidence she knew about the fire.
Nathan called.
She answered.
—Nathan.
—Where is Simon?
Silence.
—I don’t know.
—He visited Lily.
Vanessa hesitated.
Nathan understood.
—You knew about her.
—Simon told me yesterday.
—Where is he?
—Nathan, I’m scared.
—So is everyone he’s targeted.
She began crying.
—He says if I talk, he’ll release everything.
—What?
Vanessa whispered:
—My father’s company.
Years earlier, Vanessa’s father had accepted money through one of Simon’s shell companies.
Simon used that history to control her.
—He recruited you because he could blackmail you.
—At first.
Nathan closed his eyes.
Again that phrase.
—Where is he?
Vanessa finally answered.
—The old Cole Development office in Manhattan.
Federal agents moved immediately.
Simon was gone.
But his computer remained.
They recovered communications.
Vanessa had forged Nathan’s authorization.
Simon directed her.
But another name appeared repeatedly.
M. HALE.
Nathan looked at Marcus.
His security chief.
The man standing beside him.
Marcus went pale.
—Sir.
Nathan stepped back.
—Give me your weapon.
—Nathan—
—Now.
Marcus slowly surrendered it.
Federal agents surrounded him.
Marcus closed his eyes.
—I didn’t start this.
Lily laughed bitterly.
—Nobody ever does.
Marcus had worked for Simon for seven years.
He gave him security schedules.
Deleted footage.
Allowed access to the west wing.
—Did you set the fire?
—No.
—Did you let Simon escape?
Silence.
Nathan stepped closer.
—Marcus.
—Yes.
The admission hurt.
Marcus had protected Nathan through kidnapping threats, corporate disputes and two assassination scares.
Nathan trusted him with his life.
—Why?
Marcus looked ashamed.
—My son.
Simon had paid for an experimental cancer treatment when Marcus’s insurance refused coverage.
Then he demanded favors.
One became ten.
—You could have told me.
—And risked my son losing treatment?
—I would have paid.
—I know that now.
Nathan laughed.
—You knew it then.
Marcus had no answer.
Another chain of control.
Help turned into debt.
Debt turned into obedience.
Simon had built an empire not only with money.
With secrets.
Federal agents arrested Marcus.
Before leaving, he told Nathan:
—Simon took one box.
—Which?
—Property 412.
Nathan frowned.
—What is property 412?
Marcus looked at Lily.
—Cole House.
Lily stared.
Marcus continued:
—There’s something about this property Eleanor never told Richard.
Nathan felt cold.
—What?
May you like
Marcus shook his head.
—Simon said if you learn who actually paid for Cole House, the entire Cole family story ends.
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